Obama ’08

I can’t say much about Obama’s nomination acceptance speech tonight except that it blew me away. Even from such an original candidate, I had expected a little cliché and was happily surprised when it made no appearance. Obama held his own. Instead of bowing to the legacy of Dr. King, he tacitly embraced the ideals of the Dream, making it clear that this is a moment for all Americans. Instead of preaching, he invited the people on stage and encouraged our activity in politics at all levels. Most importantly, he initiated a return to thoughtful politics by attacking his opponent’s policies while honoring the man. That is true statesmanship.

What began for me as indifference to politics–after all, most of the past elections have merely been a matter of choosing the better of two mediocrities or the lesser of two evils–has evolved through this campaign into an enthusiasm for the redemption of our political system and the restoration of our global status. We will not erase injustice by one election, but we will rekindle the spirit and commitment to fight for our founding principles. For many years now our politicians have neglected the meaning of their title: ones of the state. Historically the strength of our leaders fluctuates, of course, but it is high time we emerged from a period of Lilliputian presidents and renewed the strength of of our White House and our nation.